Tea

Think back to your first memories of tea. What types of images are elicited? For me, I picture a tea bag, being gingerly plunged up and down in a steaming cup of dark red or black liquid. This will have assuredly been a black tea - English breakfast, Lipton, Earl Gray - the ubiquitous facets of Western tea consumption.

Black or Red?

But if you’re like most Westerners, the connotation of “black tea” doesn’t really allow for the luxurious, complex experience that fine teas can elicit. More often, we’re conditioned to see black tea as common and unvarying - perhaps simply due to the title. Black is black, after all; monodimensional, uninteresting. In China, however, this variety of fully oxidized leaf (called hong cha or "red tea") contains a diverse array of qualities.

So named because of the color of the tea’s liquor, the visual variance in the color red bring about an alluring, enigmatic quality that evokes passion, depth and complexity. These descriptors reveal the true nature of a black (red) tea, and the energy felt from these teas I would consider grounding, earnest and powerful.

There's something about the dark, smooth, pure and strong character of these teas that is simply divine, convincing, and transcendent. Though some characteristics are shared across the board, for example, in teas from China and India, many of the factors that affect the flavor of these teas simply cannot be replicated outside of certain regions, whether it be based on soil, climate, genetics or processing. Today, I'll focus on Chinese black teas.

Black, or red tea - A fully oxidized tea that generally has dark brown or black leaves. “Black” is a very general way to describe a tea, and in the same way that there are many shades of every color, these teas are just as varied.

Keemun Gong Fu

Though not always the case with black teas, they can have an inherent astringency, or bitterness, that can be reduced with the addition of milk and/or sugar (to the chagrin of its producers). Not all black teas will take to milk and sugar successfully, though this is the most popular way to serve black tea in the West, whereas in Asia, if drinking black tea, plain is the most common fashion.

Black teas are better suited for long term storage than green or oolong teas, and as such were more popular in the West during the early history of European/Asian tea trade.

Chinese Black Tea

The archetypal nature of black tea in the West belies the fact that the style's history doesn't seem to be present until being developed in plantations during the Ming dynasty (which ended in 1644). Surprising to me as a lover of black tea, this is not a popularly consumed style among even those who produce it - in China, black tea makes up only about 1/20th of the nation's total tea production - green tea, by far, makes up most of this harvest.

Black teas can't be said, generally speaking, to contain more caffeine than, say, greens; while caffeine is largely sequestered in young leaves, with black teas there's not a polarizing distinction across the category that would suggest a more highly-caffeinated brew. It's not uncommon to find buds among the leaves, often providing beautiful golden contrast to the dark black or red leaves. The leaves of the sinensis varietal are usually small, with minor variations in shape, especially compared to the black teas of India’s Assam region (although related). Special varietals exist even within this Latin sinensis distinction, as is the case with the well-known Keemun.

Processing the Leaves

Raw 1992 Pu-erh

A side-note on Pu-erh tea: Generally speaking, calling a Pu-erh a "black tea" may be semi-accurate but is not generally discussed as part of this category. Now often intentionally aged or simulated-aged, I like to look at Pu-erh tea as leaves that are on a (potentially) very long road to becoming a black tea, or fully oxidized.

Withering is the first step the leaves undergo after being carefully plucked. This process softens the leaves so that they are more malleable and the next step, rolling, is made easier as a result. This action stimulates the oxidizing enzymes that turn the green, withered leaves into a fully oxidized tea with leaves of black, brown, gold, orange and red.

Next, oxidation is stimulated by covering the leaves with a damp cloth for up to half a day. Compared to oxidation of Indian black tea, this process creates a more mild and less astringent tea. There isn't really a set-in-stone methodology, as all variables are taken into account by the tea handler to produce a fine tea that is the result of much skill and experience. It is the prerogative of the tea artist to elicit fine flavor that showcases the terroir as well as his own skill in shaping the final product.

Finally, the leaves are dried which slows oxidation. There are various methods used to dry the leaves, but warmth and heat are paramount at this stage to reduce the presence of residual moisture, improving stability.

Chinese Black Tea Varieties

The major black teas of China can be divided into a few major types. A short list includes Keemun, Yunnan and Lapsang Souchong. Each has its own characteristic growing region, processing methods and of course, flavor.

Yunnan

Considered the birthplace of the tea species, Yunnan province in China has a surprisingly short history in making black tea. Since that start in 1939, however, it has become the main black tea producing region in China. Yunnan black tea has soft, lightly-twisted leaves that are broad and can be infused many times and yields a woody, dried apricot, leather and earthy flavor that has a strong finish. Gold-orange buds (the youngest part of a tea plant) are a major part of this tea's leaves and the appearance and flavor of tobacco and pepper is unmistakeable; tiny hairs impart a lingering tenacity on the palate. Teas from the Yunnan region are some of my absolute favorites.

Keemun

Keemun tea is made from the small-leafed tea plant that results in a tea that is lightly sweet, with notes of cocoa and a clean and focused maltiness with a strong fruity characteristic - surprisingly fruity. The inherent sweetness of this tea is a quality I adore in teas, tending to weaken my knees, elicit wistful daydreams and strike up wordless conversations with the leaves. It is the only of the red teas that is on China's top-10 list of favorite teas.

Lapsang Souchong

The unique Lapsang Souchong is a special black tea that is processed with a step that contributes pine smoke to the tea - the final drying of the tea is done above smoldering pine embers. It should be noted that the smoky characteristic is not subtle. It can often be sharp in smokiness but is clean and always convincing. While this tea will make excellent kombucha, I find the smokiness to be a little overbearing so will usually "cut" it with another, unsmoked, tea. I've had great success with Lapsang-chamomile kombucha, as well.

'Buching with Black Teas

Not to be overlooked is the quality of kombucha that can be achieved through use of the many varieties of black tea. Flavors that can be expected vary widely - malted barley, toffee, caramel, biscuits, coconut, to name a few - and are unique to each tea, but really across the board the stand-out flavor I find that is elicited in black teas is that of apples.

SCOBYs are absolutely voracious for black tea, and it shows in explosive growth and a reliably quick ferment. Chinese hongcha is just the start of our exploration of brewing with black tea kombucha. Another of the world's major black tea production regions is India, whose abundance of variety is the topic of a future entry.

Above all, 'buch brewers, remember that variety is the spice of 'buch, and you need not look to post-fermentation flavoring to make spectacular kombucha! Don't feel pinned down to any specific dogma regarding teas, especially the sleeping giant of black teas - varied and complex - which may have previously been hiding behind the Liptons and English Breakfasts of the world. Look around, sip often, and brew constantly - and don't forget to have fun!

The holidays are here and Kombucha Brooklyn has you covered. We’ve put together nine special holiday gift packages that we think will fit anyone’s budget and needs. From the new brewer to pro brewer you’ll find something here for your loved ones.

The upgrade to the one gallon ceramic deluxe kit, this package will turn the beginning brewer into a solid 'buch brewery. A perfect gift for a family looking to start brewing or even the seasoned brewer who’s looking to step up his game.

A perfect gift for the sugar-sensitive or those looking for the next step in kombucha home brew.

Jun kombucha, a brew based on honey instead of sugar, can be the next step or the first in a kombucha brewer's journey. This is a delicate brew that is actually more forgiving, and fast-brewing than a sugar-based brew.

We have been selling premium brewing tea for some time now. Every month or so we rotate our teas, and before they sell out we reserve a few.This package is the perfect gift for the kombucha brewer or tea lover alike. A collection of our current and past hand-picked premium teas.

Once a month Kombuchman chooses a tea from his collection that showcases the possibilities of kombucha brewing. This special and limited chest is a collection of some of this year's private reserve selections.

This package is the perfect gift for the kombucha brewer or tea lover alike - but don’t feel bad if this ones for you. It wont last long.

You know who they are, and this package is for them. A trio of fruit flavors paired with a trio of tea blends. Primary and post fermentation meet in a package that’s great to showcase all the possibilities of flavoring kombucha.

There's a lot of focus these days on bottle flavoring and carbonating of kombucha. Especially for those interested in home brewing kombucha, the simple reality is that most people got their start in 'buch through trying store-bought kombucha, making this focus understandable.

The issue I'd like to address is the effect RTD (ready-to-drink) kombucha has on home brewing efforts.

Carbonation - Nice, but necessary?

One resounding effect the RTD industry has had on nascent home brewers has been the viewpoint that kombucha is an effervescent beverage. I can't disagree that kombucha is highly desirable and refreshing as an effervescent beverage.

But does it have to be?

The answer is no. Un-carbonated kombucha is just as much kombucha as is carbonated 'buch. Just like un-carbonated water is still water, the carbonated counterpart still tastes fine and is refreshing.

Conversely, think about wine. The majority of wine available is not effervescent at all, but does that mean that champagne isn't wine?

My point is this - as a home brewer, your only responsibility is to yourself, to produce kombucha that you enjoy. To obtain an effervescent kombucha is a fun, often variable process, and a kind of seal of success, but is not necessary. You can flavor kombuchas based on this consideration; one of my favorites is mulled kombucha.

Is it more important to have good flavor or good carbonation?

In home brewing I try to put the greatest emphasis on flavor and let carbonation be a lesser concern, at least for home bottling. People with a keg and CO2 system can achieve carbonation very quickly.

We've all been there before. You are craving a tasty, flavorful kombucha (these are not mutually exclusive) so you head to the RTD aisle at the grocery store. You choose a bottle and go along on your way. Maybe it's too sweet, or perhaps too sour. It might even seem watered down. But hey! It's definitely carbonated.

The flavor should be spot-on, even if the carbonation isn't.

And it's clear enough RTD kombucha has hardly stepped beyond the constant flavor additions that make kombucha taste exactly like this or that fruit, herb or familiar beverage. Not to say these can't be delicious - but I'm pretty sure I know what, say, a beet tastes like, not to mention mangoes, or blueberries, ginger, etc. These are tried and true kombuchas that are classics and will always be delicious. We, as home brewers, can choose to accept or reject that same path and forge into uncharted territory.

What makes 'buch 'buch?

Tea is the heart and soul of kombucha

Kombucha is based on tea. Not on fruits, vegetables, spices etc. So why cover up your beautiful kombucha with other stuff that makes it taste like something else? Not that it can't be fun, or that it's not tasty. But we have the opportunity to create something totally unique and special.

Set aside some of your brewing time, vessels, ingredients, etc. to resisting the emulation of any drink you've ever had before. Use the time to explore what makes 'buch interesting, rather than what makes 'buch taste familiar.

Sugar, water, culture, tea, and time.

The most important, simplest way to flavor your kombucha is with tea. It's not an optional ingredient. We'd be ignorant if we said we were familiar with, or even heard of all of the amazing varieties of tea that are available to us.

However, one of the most entertaining aspects of brewing is the use of combinations of herbs and spices, infused and fermented at the same time as the tea.

More thoughts on home brewing

Kombucha has only relatively recently become a retail product, and the real legacy of kombucha still remains inside the home. It's where cultures proliferate and change. They absorb our intent, our energy, our hand-selected ingredients. In home brewing, nothing is lost or forgotten, and everything is exactly as it should be, for better or worse.

Your home-brewed kombucha has a much stronger microbiotic profile and robust nutritional makeup from not having been filtered, piped through machinery, force carbonated and otherwise stabilized to maintain promised shelf-life and alcohol content.

So please, don't feel required to emulate the RTD sector or to assess your own success in comparing your home brew to others'. Look to the tea, coordinate your steep, prioritize flavor, and success will find you.

As we dip into cooler temperatures and slip into warmer clothes, 'Buch on Tap has followed suit by providing our loyal customers delicious treats, both old and new.

One of my favorite things is to see perennial flavors make their first appearance at new accounts. Just like the months differentiated by years, while the weather may be similar, the foliage is never exactly the same.

Kombucha Brooklyn is in almost 50 accounts - Be sure to keep an eye on our Tap Map! It's constantly being updated as we continue to grow.

Newest Accounts

OG Perennial Flavors

Big BlueCha leads the pack as a flavor to help carry you into fall. This recipe consists of blueberry and cinnamon. We have had it for over a month now and it has been turning heads like NYC models walking the streets after fashion week.

Concord has made a big impression, and is currently the most popular flavor. Tannic and bright, yet leaving plenty of room for the Dragonwell Tea to come through. This flavor is going to be around for a while.

Phoenix Mountain is an exceptional showcase for the tea, which quite simply tastes like peach blossoms. On the surface, this is a delicious refreshing brew for customers. And just beneath, a story that tells itself with every sip.

Dry Hop has been released into the wild! Featuring whole cone, Cascade hops from Wrobel Farms in Bridgewater, NY. The floral and citrus notes add a complementary body to this 'buch, with no bitterness from the long low temperature steep.

KBBK's 'Buch on Tap is the non-alcoholic craft option for NYC. Ask for us on tap at your favorite spots - from beer halls, to cafes, or even at your office. We have a burgeoning corporate program to keep you fueled through the work day.

Guayusa and Yerba Mate, while not technically tea, are both traditionally consumed from a gourd

If you've been following our blog series, you may have read my post about the highly energizing yerba mate. It's a tasty herb that makes excellent kombucha, and I usually blend it with white tea. Check it out here if you haven't already. Now, on to Brewing Kombucha with High Caffeine ...

Misinformation abounds regarding the concentrations of caffeine in the various traditional tea varieties. Among the most prominently circulated holds that "lighter" teas, such as white and green teas, contain moderate amounts, whereas darker teas such as black, oolong and pu-erh will generally contain a greater amount of caffeine.

The sheer complexity of the tea plant prevents anything but generalizations from being made. That said, if you have been privy to most of the data circulating regarding caffeine and teas, you likely have a different story than what closer inspection will reveal. I'll admit to acceptance of some of these thoughts as well - white tea is low in caffeine, right? And greens have much less than black tea? Wrong - for the most part.

Young leaves mean higher caffeine

The younger a tea leaf is when it is plucked, the higher the concentration of caffeine there will be. So, since green and white teas are made from the youngest parts of the plant, on the whole these leaves will be highest in caffeine. This will, then, be especially true of silver bud white tea, or any tea that contains buds, for that matter. This doesn't necessarily exclude black teas.

This blog written by Nigel Melican was extremely helpful when I was trying to find out more regarding my favorite beverage and the caffeine therein. In it, Nigel debunks caffeine content myths and discusses the early pour-off method, thought (falsely) by many to decrease caffeine.

Guayusa - cousin to yerba mate

Another great tea-like herb that provides a lot of energy from caffeine is guayusa. Primarily grown in Ecuador, it is said to be consumed before and during hunting. Like yerba mate, it provides a clean energy boost without risk of "crashing" after the boost wears off.

Left to right: Guayusa, yerba mate, silver bud white tea

I love to make kombucha with it not only because of the physiological effects, but it also has a great flavor, not unlike rooibos. You could almost look at guayusa as a caffeinated rooibos, one I often describe as having an herbal cherry flavor.

So, definitely consider this one when concocting your 'buch energy drink! Think probiotic coffee substitute. Many thanks to our friends at Runa for all the knowledge and tea.

Remember pu-erh?

Another tea to consider when making a high energy kombucha is a style called pu-erh. You may have read my blog post on pu-erhs posted back in March. If not, check it out here.

Mi Lan Xiang Phoenix Mountain Oolong, and a Tibetan mushroom pu-erh

While pu-erhs may not have the highest caffeine content, there's definitely a strength and energy that is really noted across the board with this style. So these make a great, boosting kombucha that also will be very medicinal and also have a unique taste.

When endeavoring to make high-energy kombucha, look no further than yerba mate, guayusa, white and green (check out Jade Dewdrops - it's outstanding) teas, and pu-erhs. Of course other styles will still provide you with caffeine, but if you're looking to maximize, it's useful to look at these types.

KBBK is making it easy to do this with our selection of teas, which now includes bulk yerba mate for 2, 4, or 6 brews.

Until next time - consider brewing up a little something to get you jacked in the morning - that won't make your stomach writhe and your body crash. A healthier part of waking up ;-).

An array of (mostly) teas arranged left to right, higher to lower caffeine

I'm frequently asked about caffeine and kombucha, and caffeine content of kombucha in general. This consideration has immediate repercussions for many people, such as those allergic to caffeine, to those who are very sensitive to its effects. As such, there is a lot of interest for kombucha brewers in the range of caffeine one can find in kombucha. Today I'd like to discuss the making of kombucha without, or with very little caffeine.

Barley-Rooibos kombucha

*Contrary to some opinions I've heard, it has been verified that caffeine content in kombucha does not decrease during fermentation.* (from Michael Roussin's "Analyses of Kombucha Ferments," a great paper that can be found here)

**The kombucha recipe Kombucha Brooklyn provides, and that we brew with, calls for 3/4 less dry tea than does the same amount of tea you would drink, say at 2pm with snacks. That means 3/4 less caffeine than a standard cup of tea.**

Firstly, I'd like to provide a disclaimer. One of the major tenets of KBBK philosophy holds that kombucha brewed without tea (camellia sinensis) will not always reliably change from sweet to fermented, and if it does, you will find it very difficult to sustain a culture on these tisanes, herbal teas, or otherwise. Whereas you can usually get one or two ferments successfully, at most, from non-tea containing brews (grape juice, coconut water with pineapple, barley and rooibos), you will not be able to sustain a SCOBY with these seemingly normal foods that are actually alien to your culture.

As I sat pondering this issue, I started to consider other fermented beverages with foods that provide a good nutrient profile suitable for feeding yeast. My first thought was beer; then I remembered something my co-worker Anna had brought in to our office, that we enjoyed immensely when steeped as a tea - roasted barley. Bingo! I wanted to brew a kombucha that had greatly reduced caffeine, and it seemed barley might be the key. Another of my favorite alterna-"tea"ves, rooibos, came to me as the next best herb to use in this caffeine-free kombucha admixture. Said to have been cultivated by Dutch settlers of South Africa as a replacement for black tea (then a prohibitively expensive prospect for import), rooibos has become a popular facet of South African culture.

Barley, left; Rooibos, right

I was relatively sure that a combination of barley and rooibos would ferment just fine into kombucha. As I've been experimenting with many different herbal additions to traditional kombucha teas (which have been pretty much anything camellia sinensis), and discovered that the culture is relatively resilient to such experimentation, I figured diving in head-first would be both fun and informative.

I would call the results highly successful. To fully ferment took about 10 days, when I reached a nice balance of sweetness and acidity, and I was left with a kombucha that had a very malty and tart cherry flavor. Rooibos, tasting a lot like an herbal cherry, undoubtedly was the most forward of the flavors in this brew. My SCOBY wasn't anything substantial, about 2 mm thick, but the 'buch was definitely 'buch. And since I have an essentially unlimited supply of SCOBYs, I wasn't worried about keeping a culture going feeding on this simple, tea-free brew.

The longevity of your culture will however be a great concern to you, the home brewer. You will be able to use your initial, "seed SCOBY" multiple times, but your caffeine-free brew may not produce a nice, thick SCOBY every time you brew, as camellia sinensis is the best food for kombucha. As such, I suggest keeping a container in your refrigerator full of SCOBYs, like the one seen below. You'll want to keep it covered to prevent drying, but each time you have a nice new SCOBY, consider putting it in the refrigerator to keep it as a backup. That way, you won't have to count on your caffeine-free brew producing a SCOBY every week, as you'll have plenty, and this brew won't kill off your original "seed SCOBY" necessarily, it just won't produce a new one.

Collection of SCOBYs as backup; cover with a lid and store in the refrigerator indefinitely!

So, keep these possibilities in mind when you make your next batch, and also remember that experimentation is the spice of kombucha brewing. You may very well find many different mixtures that work for you that don't include caffeine or tea!

Stay tuned - in my next blog, I'll go over making caffeinated and energetic kombucha that will have you jumping for jitter-free joy!

In Part 1, I discussed the use of teas alone as a basic and powerful method of kombucha flavoring. Now, I'd like to take a look at one variety of tea that often gets overlooked in the West...

Among the most alluring aspects of tea is its ability to elicit the sensation of feeling like you are somewhere else, in time or space. It can, beyond words, call forth a sort of sensory tableau, akin to déjà vu.

The sensory details of each day's occurrences are connected by our experience, and accrue as a sort of personal encyclopedia. These details inform and even alter the manner with which we perceive our world and recall our personal history. And in the same way our minds build perceptions and experiences into memory, so can our minds retrieve memory (or illusion) from similar sensations and events. These can include cues such as sights, smells, sounds, feelings etc.

Chinese pu-erh

Not only is the flavor, body and aroma of a tea an immediate sensory experience, but it also can call forth recollection and imagination. Consider this as I talk about one of the most alluring, evocative and enigmatic of them all - pu-erh.

Pu-Erh, Caviar of Teas

When you drink a pu-erh, a (dry) fermented, aged, tea, a whole host of impressions can be stimulated in striking fashion. You might re-experience acute sensations you’ve had in the forest - the smell of sweet notes of earth, tree bark and mushrooms - along with a little stimulation, possibly from the surprise nature of revelatory sensation, like a rush of adrenaline. These flavors sound strange to find in a tea - but pu-erhs are as complex and nuanced as a fine scotch whiskey - as a memory itself. And like caviar, pu-erhs are highly revered - but can also be polarizing.

What’s this have to do with kombucha?

In fermenting a fine tea, you’re supercharging its nutritive potential, contributing to its flavor, and of course making it additionally refreshing (with refrigeration and carbonation from a nice bottle conditioning). Pu-erhs are considered highly medicinal - supposedly helpful in weight loss, cholesterol reduction and cleansing the blood. At KBBK, we love to drink pu-erh kombucha to give us a great boost of energy, detoxify our bodies, and provide a very unique and conversational experience.

Types of Pu-erh

Imperial Pu-erh

Pu-Er was the name of a Chinese town of antiquity which was known for being a center of commerce from which this type of tea was regularly exported. Of pu-erhs there are two distinct categories - the one photographed above is a "shu," or ripe pu-erh. Specially conditioned to recreate long-aged teas, it is "cooked" - tea handlers essentially compost the leaves in a very controlled environment. Tea producers began to utilize this process to attempt to satisfy the high demand for aged pu-erhs - the original, singular style of pu-erh - until the "cooking" process was developed in the late 20th century. While in cooking the result isn't exactly the same as you would achieve through aging, it creates, no less, a very distinct and unique product that isn't really so far off from "sheng" pu-erhs.

Sheng pu-erh from 1992

Sheng pu-erhs are considered raw - the tea is not composted or fermented quickly, but over time and through closely-guarded methods. This is a style of the old days, long pre-dating the Mongol invasion of China, and it is still considered an integral part of the culture. It is well known among enthusiasts that the best pu-erhs are consumed after decades of aging. The one pictured above has seen nearly a quarter of a century pass.

In our experience, longer-aged sheng pu-erhs are much mellower and less astringent than are younger examples of the style (though still remaining enigmatic, startling, and delicious).

Bamboo-aged pu-erh, pu-erh knife, and a pu-erh cake

Pu-erh Kombucha

However, when we are brewing our pu-erh teas into kombucha, we need not worry about bitterness. This is due to the unique ability of the culture to eliminate the tannic bitterness you might notice in a tea before fermentation. So, out of a pu-erh kombucha you are left with a complex, highly medicinal and refreshing beverage, a giant and healthy SCOBY; not to mention a chance to step into a distant memory or illusion elicited by the tea's terroir, processing, and especially in the case of pu-erhs, age.

Silver Bud White Pu-Erh

If this sounds enticing, you simply must taste for yourself. A great place to start exploring pu-erh kombucha is with our office favorite, the sheng Silver Bud White Pu-erh. While usually made from older leaves, this unique variety has been made with the buds of the tea tree. And while only aged for 11 years, you'll notice a distinct fruitiness in this tea that is strongly reminiscent of sweet prunes, tobacco and honeydew. For a convincing pu-erh brew, look no further, and remember - this is kombucha flavoring at its simplest and most effective. So, brew up some pu-erh kombucha, sip with your eyes closed, and see where the tea and your imagination can take you!

For many years I overlooked the importance and exciting possibilities to be garnered from sweet unfermented tea, the beginning of any kombucha brew. The "Nute" (nutrient solution of tea and sugar) holds the nutrients the SCOBY will consume during fermentation and determines the final flavor profile of your finished product. In fact, you can create such an expansive flavor profile with your Nute that many people think you’ve added juice. When I realized what I could do, I set out on a journey to discover everything I could about the ingredients that make up nute. My first stop, and my longest, was with tea.

Good tea comes from good sources, but like all food, the best sources are not easy to find. There are many outlets to purchase tea through; online retailers and large wholesalers give us many different options. My experience with various suppliers yielded delicious and healthy kombucha, but nothing compares to the quality we have experienced brewing with the tea leaves from our most recent partnership.

David finding a tea

If there was a Kombuchman in the tea world, it would be David Lee Hoffman. Teaman! His love for tea has led him on a 40-year journey that yielded the largest loose leaf and Pu-Erh collection in the United States. A true pioneer in the art of tea, David is the first American to import premium whole leaf tea to the U.S. David has built relationships with farmers, tea factories and ancient tea shops giving him access to one of the most diverse and quality tea collections available in the world. Along with tea he has dedicated his life to organic farming and buys tea that comes from farms using only those growing techniques. Hearing him talk about tea is both educating and intoxicating. Drinking the tea he has procured over the years takes you directly to the hills he procured them on and opens up a gateway into a world most will never see. We are now blessed to be one of his customers.

Tasting a selection of Pu-Erh's

Last month I had the pleasure of spending the afternoon with David. My five-hour layover in San Francisco was just enough time to meet with David for lunch at a spectacular dim sum restaurant and tour his magical compound. Although it was a short visit, we were able to taste six teas as well as tour his massive collection of loose leaf and Pu-Erh tea, all surrounded by structures hand-built by him on his beautiful land over the past 40 years. As soon as I entered his Lagunitas compound, I felt like I was transported to the Chinese country side. It was truly remarkable and an unforgettable experience.

A piece of the massive collection

A unique type of Pu-Erh packed in bamboo shoots

The Pu-Erh cave

One of the many structures on the compound

I’ve been buying David’s tea for about a year now, but only for our personal collection. Most of them were for drinking straight - we are serious tea drinkers here at KBBK - but they were also used to ferment delicious batches of kombucha, some of the nicest I’ve ever had. On our ride back to the airport David offered me a coveted wholesale account. I’m thrilled to pass that privilege on to you at the KBBK Brew Shop.

The new premium brewing tea line-up represents a diverse line up of Chinese tea. There are high-end pricier options as well as budget-friendly introductions to premium tea.

KBBK House teas are three selections I feel represent all the characteristics of the three most popular styles, green, black, and white. Wonderful together as a blend, individually these teas will make the perfect base for straight-up and flavored ‘buch or even as a blender to another tea style. This is an incredible value for such fine whole leaf tea.

Silver Bud Pu-Erh

Our first Pu-Erh offerings will show you what delightful brews come from this, my favorite style of tea, that is aged like a wine or cheese to improve its flavor. The two main styles, likely the oldest and most popular tea in China, are represented in our collection as Shang (raw) and Shu (cooked). Both styles yield complex full-bodied kombucha that have an extra kick of caffeine. Another Pu-Erh we are offering is Silver Bud. This white tea that is mostly bud has been aged in David’s cave since 2003 and gives off dried fruit flavors like prune and apricot. Not only is this a crowd pleaser, it's one of my top 3 teas to use in kombucha brewing.

Along with these Pu-Erhs we have chosen a strong showing of black, green and oolong teas to offer from our store.

As we sell through this first round of teas, we will rotate our offering. If there is a specific tea you fall in love with, let us know and we can get you hooked up with a larger supply. One thing is certain; if you explore these delightful teas you will expand your kombucha pallet. Dive in to the wonderful world of Premium Brewing Tea and be spoiled by the quality we now offer, from the pluck to the cup. You will never go back.